Yoga instructor Imogen Smith has noticed a common issue that many of her clients complain about: tight hips.
And she’s not surprised by how widespread the issue is, because the causes of tension around the hips are plentiful, though for most people it’s the hours they spend at their desks.
“Long periods of sitting keep your hips in flexion (a shortened position), especially the hip flexors,” says Smith. “Weak or underactive glutes [your buttock muscles] mean that your hips or even hamstrings can tighten to compensate.
“We also hold a lot of tension in our hips if we are stressed or keeping in repressed emotions.
“Your psoas muscle in particular is linked to your nervous system, so when you are stressed for long periods, this muscle can stay subtly contracted.”
And although it’s a common problem among Smith’s clients at MoreYoga—which has over 40 studios across London—she has advice that could rectify the issue.
Smith has noticed that many clients concentrate on a lunge stretch to open up the hips, but she explains that this alone is not enough.
“Lunges are a great pose and one that I do pretty much every single day,” she says. “With the right engagement, they assist in both strengthening and lengthening the front of the hip and are really beneficial, particularly after physical activity involving the legs.
“Their pitfall, however, is that they really only target one area of your hips, which is the front of the hip—the hip flexors.
“I think a small sequence of three or four poses allows you to get a little deeper into the muscles, target different areas, and release any physical or emotional tension you are holding.”
With this in mind, Smith has created a four-move sequence that “targets all areas of the hips, not just one.”